Paraguay certified malaria-free by WHO

Paraguay becomes the first country in the Americas since Cuba to be certified as malaria-free by the WHO.

In a press release by the WHO on Monday, Paraguay was certified as having eliminated malaria and it became the first American nation to gain this status since Cuba back in 1973.

The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a recorded statement. “It gives me great pleasure today to certify that Paraguay is officially free of malaria, success stories like Paraguay’s show what is possible. If malaria can be eliminated in one country, it can be eliminated in all countries.”

In 2016, Paraguay was identified as one of the 21 countries with the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020. Through the E-2020 initiative, WHO is supporting these countries as they scale up activities to become malaria-free.

Other E-2020 countries in the Americas include Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, and Suriname.